Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in New Orleans?
Yes, tap water in New Orleans is treated to meet EPA standards day-to-day, but the city's aging power and pressure infrastructure has caused several boil-water advisories in recent years, so it's worth checking current status during your visit.
Water Source
The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) draws from the Mississippi River, treating it before distribution across the city.
EPA Compliance Status
Meets federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards under normal operation; the system has issued repeated boil-water advisories in recent years tied to power outages and pressure loss rather than routine source-water contamination.
Notable Contaminants & Context
- •Aging turbine-based power infrastructure has caused pressure drops that trigger precautionary boil-water advisories, a well-documented recurring issue distinct from routine treated-water quality
- •No significant contamination concerns in day-to-day treated water
How It Compares
New Orleans's power and pressure infrastructure fragility is a distinct, well-documented issue from the underlying river-water treatment process itself, and the city has pursued infrastructure investment to reduce advisory frequency.
Tips
- •Check SWBNO's current advisory status if visiting, especially after storms or power disruptions
- •Day-to-day tap water is treated and safe
- •Bottled water is a reasonable backup to keep on hand during hurricane season
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations
- •EWG Tap Water Database
- •The utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality